THIS yearbook, now in it's ninth year, has effectively taken over from the old Rothman's Rugby League Yearbook as the number one source of statistical analysis regarding the preceding season.

It includes an in-depth statistical section featuring every professional club in the Rugby Football League - from Super League, National League One and National League Two - plus a knowledgeable month-by-month summary of the Super League season as a whole.

Short synopses of the NL1 and NL2 clubs' campaigns are also there, plus a section on the NL play-off series, which includes a brief (and still painful) reminder of York City Knights' late agony in their NL2 play-off final.

The successful Tri-Nations conclusion to the season (successful barring the final defeat to those pesky Australians) is also covered in depth, while all other international fixtures and a round-up of the season in Australia have sections to themselves.

The book again selects five personalities who have made big impacts on the sport in 2004, while this year there is a new historical record of all Super League Grand Finals since the first in 1998.

The book is illustrated well with more than 200 photos and to sum up provides an excellent in-depth account of what was a record-breaking and triumphant season for the sport.

Updated: 10:18 Saturday, December 18, 2004